The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth (and it is) is on its final ride around Calgary for 2025 and a great show, as always, when it comes to the Calgary Stampede, with indications of another record attendance at Stampede Park. Cowboys are a big part of Stampede. The real cowboys are the folks working the rodeo, the barrel racing, the chuckwagon racing, the livestock displays, the traditional indigenous races and all the other events, following the Western traditions of putting your ass on the line to make a living. And then, there’s the rest of us. We’re known as 'drugstore' cowboys, getting all cowboyed-up for Stampede. I look at it as Hallowe’en in the middle of summer, when we put on the hats, the jeans, the boots and the rest of the costume. And then there is Cowboys — an entertainment giant in Calgary, owned and operated by Penny Lane Entertainment, put together by an acquaintance of mine, Paul Vickers. It could be said, rightfully so, that the Cowboy’s brand of entertainment of big halls and big name entertainment have attracted an entire generation of Calgarians into the stampeding action by spawning the big Cowboys Dance Hall tent on Stampede Park. .Cowboys and the City of Calgary entered into a 10-year sponsorship agreement awhile back, changing the name of Millennium Park, on 9 Ave. SW to Cowboys Park, opening it up to large music events, centered around another big Cowboys Tent. We don’t know the details of the agreement; the city keeps such information confidential, but you can bet it ain’t chump change. There is a posse of Calgarians who are not all that happy about Cowboys Park. And they’re not wrong, nor are they Stampede deniers. These folks live in the densest neighbourhood, by population, in Calgary’s Downtown West End, a stone’s throw from Cowboys Park and have spent all of Stampede having to put up with loud music, blocked-off streets and big crowds, all running well into early mornings. They’ve aired their grievances to members of council, but unfortunately for the posse — and this is disgusting — it would appear money speaks a lot louder at city hall than angry Calgarians who hopefully will, if they haven’t before, show up at the ballot box in October. .In a statement, the city said “As per the approved event guidelines, music must be turned down by 1:30 a.m. to 60 decibels and fully shut off at 2 a.m. All tents, including Cowboys, have been compliant with these requirements. Cowboys operates under a special event permit that allows for extended noise allowances during Stampede within regulated decibel levels, which allows for extended noise during Stampede and music is permitted up to 85 decibels until 1:30 am.” Any number of decibels is too loud at one o'clock in the morning. In response to residents’ complaints, the area’s councillor, Terry Wong, said, “We need to appreciate that this is Stampede time, this is event time, not to say that everyone enjoys it, but this is something that we put on a good show for the world. Having said that though, we’ve worked with Cowboys and said, ‘hey guys, do a better job, and they have.” “They’re supposed to tone it down until they close and I take a look at the number of enquiries that I’ve got, as well as the number of enquiries that come to 311, I’m surprised that we haven’t had more, but I’m getting it that people are accepting it.” .Wrong, Mr. Wong. It’s a ten-year deal with Cowboys, not just Stampede time. What will be your response when residents file complaints about the loud music coming from the tent as people celebrate Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years’ Eve, Dave Naylor’s birthday and all the other holidays on the calendar? The city wants more people to live downtown, to make it a ‘vibrant place’. Not that many years ago, downtown head offices and other businesses paid the bulk of property taxes in the city. With the advent of COVID and a slower economy, a lot of head offices downtown closed and the burden of property taxes shifted to residential. In response, the city introduced a program that incentivized developers monetarily to turn those empty downtown towers into residential units. The program has seen some success, but don’t be surprised if those condo-apartments on the Westend start to empty out as residents put them up for sale. This isn’t just about Cowboys. Any well-run and successful business manages its ‘today’ needs, while planning for ‘tomorrow’ needs. That's what has made Penny Lane Entertainment and Cowboys so successful in the past, and it appears, into the future. This is about the City of Calgary raking in the dough. They’ll tell you it keeps property taxes down, but Calgarians will tell you that isn’t happening. .This is also about transparency; being upfront with Calgarians. Something mayoral candidate Sonya Sharp advocates. Mr. Vickers, it’s been some time since last we spoke. I hope you’re reading this and, it being Stampede and all, are ready to take the bull by the horns and address this problem. A magnificent gesture on your part would be to canvass every building and every apartment in those buildings near Cowboys Park and invite the residents to a meeting in the tent, food and beverages supplied. They’re going to be your neighbours, for at least 10 years and there’s nothing better than a good neighbour.
